Artwork

Hunting with falcons in a landscape (recto)

Hunting with falcons in a landscape (recto), by Abd al-Samad, unspecified
Hunting with falcons in a landscape (recto), by Abd al-Samad, unspecified

Hunting with falcons in a landscape (recto) is an unspecified painting by the Mughal Painting artist Abd al-Samad. It is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This painting depicts a hunting scene in a dry, rocky landscape, showcasing the Mughal tradition of falconry on horseback.

About this work

This was made for Emperor Akbar, who brought Persian artists to India to blend styles—notice how the soft rocks and sharp details sit side by side.

You see a small, busy scene: men on horseback hunt with falcons in a dry, rocky valley.

The tiny figures are painted with such care that you can almost hear the horses’ hooves and the birds’ wings. This was made for Emperor Akbar, who brought Persian artists to India to blend styles—notice how the soft rocks and sharp details sit side by side.

To see more of this mix, look up *mughal india, court of akbar (reigned 1556–1605), indian art*.

Overview

This painting depicts a hunting scene in a dry, rocky landscape, showcasing the Mughal tradition of falconry on horseback.

Subject & Meaning

The scene illustrates a hunting party flushing prey from the brush, with falcons released to chase and capture their quarry, highlighting the nobility's leisure activity.

Technique & Style

The work features delicate, detailed figures and gently modeled rocks, blending Persian and Indian artistic influences, with a contrast between soft landscape elements and sharp details.

History & Provenance

Created for Emperor Akbar, this painting is attributed to a Persian artist brought to India by Akbar's father, exemplifying the cultural exchange that characterized Akbar's court.

Context

The artwork reflects the cultural blending that occurred during Akbar's reign, as Persian artists merged their style with Indian traditions.

Artist & collection

Artist

Abd al-Samad

'Abd al-Ṣamad or Khwaja 'Abd-us-Ṣamad Shirazi (Persian: خواجه عبدالصمد شیرازی), was a 16th century painter of Persian miniatures who moved to India and became one of the founding masters of the Mughal miniature…

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.